Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-29

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Smoking can cause serious illnesses and should be made illegal.

To what extent do you agree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.5)

In today's world, some people believe that smoking can cause serious illnesses and should be made illegal. I partially agree with this view because it can prevent people from being affected by various diseases and helps them to save money that is spent on this dangerous activity, but at the same time making it illegal can negatively affect the overall economy of a country and even lead to losses for various tobacco companies.

Firstly, smoking can cause various health problems such as heart attacks, high blood pressure, teeth problems and so on. Making it illegal prevents individuals from causing these kinds of diseases. Thus, putting restrictions on smoking helps people to stay healthy. Secondly, it helps a person to save a huge amount of money that is spent on this unnecessary activity. This is because some individuals spend a large amount of money on this activity, which inturn lead to a situation like a lack of saving.

On the other hand, if smoking is made illegal then it may affect the economy of the country. Smoking is done by a large number of people and making it illegal can affect the tax collection source of the government, which inturn affects the economy. Additionally, this method can even affect various tobacco companies. These companies generate a huge amount of revenue due to smoking products like cigarettes. If smoking is made illegal, these companies have to suffer from the huge losses.

In conclusion, I partially agree that smoking should be made illegal because it helps people to remain healthy and encourages them to save money. However, making it illegal can affect the economy of the country and also affects various tobacco companies. I believe that the government should be cautious about smoking, but making it illegal completely can affect the country itself.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, exploring both sides of the argument regarding whether smoking should be made illegal. The writer adopts a clear position from the introduction, arguing that while health benefits exist, total prohibition could harm the economy. Ideas are extended with relevant examples, such as reference to government tax collection and corporate losses in the tobacco industry. Although some supporting points like 'teeth problems and so on' are slightly simplistic, the task is fully covered, warranting a solid Band 7.0 for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with a well-defined introduction, followed by two body paragraphs addressing contrasting viewpoints, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively, such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'On the other hand'. However, referencing and transitional phrases occasionally feel a bit mechanical, particularly with repetitive use of 'inturn' and 'this activity'. Overall, the structure is easy to follow, supporting a Band 7.0 score for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some flexibility and precision, employing terms such as 'prohibition', 'revenue', and 'overall economy'. Less common lexical items are attempted, though with some minor repetition of words like 'activity' and 'amount'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, although 'inturn' should be written as two words ('in turn'). The vocabulary successfully conveys the intended meaning without causing confusion, aligning well with the Band 6.5 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing conditional structures ('if smoking is made illegal then it may affect...') and relative clauses effectively. There is a good degree of grammatical control, and punctuation is handled adequately. While minor errors occur—such as the missing article in 'due to smoking products' and the spelling of 'inturn'—these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. The grammatical control justifies a Band 6.5 score.

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